yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[G1 Apps and Games] quadratic:
You can buy it on Amazon for $0.99
[G1 Apps and Games] AAccount:
Which angry birds are you playing? I haven't gotten around to the Rio or Seasons one so these hosts entries are for the v1.6.1 of the original angry birds. Also, try deleting the "ad cache". Look on your SD card for a folder called "burstly [something] cache". The folder name is all one word (I think) and there may be more than 1 folder (I had 2 :mad:).

For me, at least, the AdFree hosts file worked until the 1.6.1 update. I was also not too thrilled about the ad cache that magically appeared on my SD card when I updated from 1.6 to 1.6.1. I got these new hosts by making an ad-hoc network between my laptop and my SGS. Then I used wireshark to tap my wifi card and see what DNS queries my SGS made.
[G1 Apps and Games] ray5780:
I have updated the hosts file to include angry birds. You need to remove all extensions to make the file just "hosts", then replace the hosts file in data/data and system/etc with the one provided.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=D9S7QVVM
[G1 Apps and Games] mtsgsd:
I've been loving this app, but finally found a small problem I'd like to use HuluPlus on my phone, but their damnable ads must be allowed to play or it just won't work. We need some way to be able to ad/remove urls in the app, or have some way for adfree to learn what an ap like hulu is trying to load and then unblock it.

I don't want to have to disable the whole hosts file as a shotgun approach just to use this one app.

Have to give them credit for finding a way to force you to watch them.
[G1 Apps and Games] p_025:
Just found this thread. I've had my Android for a year and I'm fed up with the ads. So I replaced my hosts file with this. It's a very elegant and simple solution to the problem, and very difficult for advertisers to find ways around. I laughed when I read the default hosts file, and understood immediately what it was because I stumbled on the same file on Windows.

Anyway, I'd rather have the app for this, but it's nowhere to be found in the Android market and any APK I've found on the internet won't install. Is it not compatible with Android 1.6?

Another thing, something in the list is blocking my Comics app from loading Dilbert, though every other comic I've tried still loads fine.

Also, there's still some ads getting through in Angry Birds Seasons, as much as I love the game I'm not exactly interested in buying Angry Birds flip flops.
[G1 Apps and Games] titin83:
i have just installed this app but when i tap in the icon i can´t do anything.

a pop us appears and it says: out of date, this copy of adfree is too old, please update to a newer version.

what is the problem??how can i solve it??

thanks
[G1 Apps and Games] boudreaux1:
Getting same error as of today.Been working great.
[G1 Apps and Games] Terri M:
Oh thank goodness!!!! Mine is doing the same thing!!

I thought I was doing something wrong and was going crazy trying to figure out what had happened!!

Please help!!!

Edited by me: Thank you so very much for the quick response to our problem!!! This is an awesome app, and your quick response is very impressive!!! Thank you!!!!
[G1 Apps and Games] titin83:
in spite of be a problem these are good news for me. i know that is not my problem.....lol..:):):):)
[G1 Apps and Games] dvdivx:
There needs to be a negative thanks for this :(

Can someone post an older working version please? The one on the market is broken.
[G1 Apps and Games] dvdivx:
Why is this dev releasing apps with a date deadline but then abandoning them. 0.6.3 doesn't work either unless someone strips out the date deadline.
[G1 Apps and Games] SpikeBolt:
I also have the same problem :(
[G1 Apps and Games] Seabass1:
Changing the date to 2010 gets it working again so you can update your hosts file. Just change the year back to 2011 when your done.
[G1 Apps and Games] dvdivx:
Looks like the only work around. Also points out how lame date restrictions are unless your app is about a specific event needed it (eg Google IO 2010).
[G1 Apps and Games] pauley:
Authenticate / Register / Skip

So v0.7.6 update hit the Market and I updated, opened, then came a new popup with the option of Authenticate / Register / Skip. Authenticate brings up a box to enter username/password, the BigTinCan forums one didn't work. Register opened this webpage: adfree.bigtincan.com/phone-register.php but have no idea what we are registering for, although it doesn't work anyways since there is no submit button. Skip does exactly that, skips so you can use the app, but I'm wondering what to do when/if that popup shows itself again. Thanks for your help with such an awesome and useful app!
[G1 Apps and Games] chrlswltrs:
I was wondering what that was for also, I just picked the skip option
[G1 Apps and Games] crypticc:
Page doesn't even work anyway.

No buttons, no auto submit.
[G1 Apps and Games] Warpedflash:
The About button does not work either. take you to an incomplete page. Presummeably its being worked on for something?
[G1 Apps and Games] Skye Menjou:
It FCs on my HTC Wildfire(CM7RC1) now with the 0.7.3 update.

Even after Data clear/reinstall.

Posted here because the app links to this thread.
[G1 Apps and Games] Mudvayne622:
The app no longer works after the update. Im not getting the Fc's but im getting ALL the ads now. Looking in data/data in the bigtincan folder there is no longer a host file. Found the host file in data/data so i pasted it into the bigtincan folder and still had ads. So i then moved the host file to bigtincan/lib and still had ads. WTF is going on? this is crap!!!
[G1 Apps and Games] eazy1818:
Hope they get it fixed.
[G1 Apps and Games] Taomyn:
Works fine for me

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[G1 Apps and Games] :
Changelog?

Any chance we can get a change log in the market for the most recent update?
[G1 Apps and Games] sancho1234:
The AdFree can't hide the banners on my Samsung Galaxy S 2.3.4. Why? It's not support the Gingerbread? Is it possible?
[G1 Apps and Games] SWADED:
Keeps force closing after update, xperia x10 mini pro
[G1 Apps and Games] vulkanxxv:
Keeps force closing after update, Wildfire, froyo
[G1 Apps and Games] marrduk:
Doesn't block anything (angry birds, mixzing, talking tom, etc.) after update. LG optimus one, void echo (froyo)
[G1 Apps and Games] quendil:
Crashes in my sonyericsson X10 mini after the update when it's looking up for new hosts!

Thanks for your efforts!
[G1 Apps and Games] grifovunque:
now with last update it works very well.

how can i register?
[G1 Apps and Games] :No-Frost::
It doesn't seem possible to register :(
[G1 Apps and Games] goducks3620:
Not FC anymore on this morning's update, but some ads are definitely getting through on the browser even after updating the host file and rebooting. Running Froyo on an HTC Vogue BTW.
[G1 Apps and Games] Mudvayne622:
I just dont get it. This app worked perfect until the last 2 updates. The dev should just go back to that version
[G1 Apps and Games] montymintypie:
Angry Birds has ads again. To block, add these lines to your hosts file:

127.0.0.1 rovio.appads.com
127.0.0.1 an.appads.com
127.0.0.1 appadserver.com
127.0.0.1 caggsm-img.appads.com
[G1 Apps and Games] r3ddawn:
Is this the official thread for the Adfree app on the Android Market?

And as others have stated, latest version installed, still ton's of adds, including in Angry Birds and other games..
[G1 Apps and Games] rileyd5:
Nice app overall. 3g browsing on my Evo is much improved. One issue I noticed is when 4g is enabled and adfree is running, there are tons of issues. pages load 75% and never fully load. also, 4g turns itself off alot and switches back to 3g. Once I revert settings in adfree, 4g will run with zero issues but of course ads are back. Please let me know if there are any other work arounds or if anyone else has seen this. Thanks.
[G1 Apps and Games] Trinition:
Pointed at 127.0.0.1 but no one home?

So what happens when it attempts to connect to an add server at 127.0.0.1 and nothing is listening (assuming you're not hosting a local web server on your phone)? Is it just timing out?
[G1 Apps and Games] Taomyn:
Yes, which is why I use 0.0.0.0 instead and I found made the timeout quicker by mimicking an unknown/invalid address.

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[G1 Apps and Games] adotkdotjh:
The newer update 0.7.7 that came out today seems to be working again.

I'm still wondering what the authenticate thing is for......
[G1 Apps and Games] hanschke:
same question for me cause i dont see any register button :confused:
[G1 Apps and Games] r3ddawn:
Does the app have to be actually running for it to block adds? I thought it was just a simple host file in system/etc that was needed. Currently the hosts file it's running with is allowing ton's of ads to come through, where in the past it didn't. Anyone have a better hosts file that is blocking almost all in game ads/browser ads?
[G1 Apps and Games] jbbandos:
Indeed it seems that in the last couple of weeks the hosts file went from perfect to almost useless. It is almost as if the ad peddlers had "tweaked" the host file.

Checking the site (http://msmvps.com/blogs/hostsnews/default.aspx), the problems seem to have started with the 15th June update. I'm tempted to download the May version to see if it still works.
[G1 Apps and Games] Kira.Lawliet:
Anyone got the old version of adfree that's functional? It seems a bit-off with the last ~2 updates..
[G1 Apps and Games] EducateAndInnovate:
AdFree on Intercept

:)

This App is great! Works well on Samsung Intercept too.

Ads are really vanished and banished from the phone.

It seems that one need to launch the App periodically to check for latest hosts file. Once donwloaded the latstes hosts file it works well.

:)
[G1 Apps and Games] mactenaka:
Change log for updates

It would be nice if you included in your description what changes were made in the newest version of adfree. Especially since this app requires root and su permissions. Please update the market description with a change log.
[G1 Apps and Games] krweby:
I manually installed the hosts file from the 15th and it fix it. Might just uninstall adfree and just check every once in a while.
[G1 Apps and Games] flaviocc:
Hi guys.

Today my adfree stop works on my Atrix.

Yesterday everything was ok.

What have to do?

Tks.
[G1 Apps and Games] jbbandos:
That makes sense with what I see on my custom ROM, as I add that hosts file when cooking it I see no ads until adfree asks for an update. This points to adfree now using a different source for its hosts file.
[G1 Apps and Games] sgsI9003:
What is the path to this host file?

I can post the older host file if anyone needs it. Mine is working fine as I have not updated it past many months.
[G1 Apps and Games] jbbandos:
It is the one from the OP: http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
I've uninstalled adfree because it wasn't working (latest version). I downloaded the hosts file (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt) and put it in place of "/data/data/hosts". I also checked the sysmling to /system/etc/hosts which works fine. Then I rebooted the phone to clear the dns cache.

I still see ads left and right. It seems almost as if the hosts file is ignored. It appears it's not even used for dns lookups.

I'm on CM7 RC1 running on a LG 990 (Optimus x2).

Does anyone know what's going on here or has any inside on this?
[G1 Apps and Games] jbbandos:
I gave up on /data/data/hosts, now I only place the file in /system/etc/hosts. It seems to work better like that.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
I now have a copy of the hosts file in both paths /data/data/ and /system/etc/. To be sure it's not a caching issue I rebooted my phone. Still, I get ads. This is very strange.
[G1 Apps and Games] jbbandos:
I've checked the plugin I am using with the dsixda kitchen to get the hosts file, and it is using also a second source, "http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/serverlist.php?showintro=0;hostformat=hosts", which it then combines with the one in the OP, sorting them and eliminating duplicates. The plugin was written by Mr. X- AKA Juggalo_X, and claims to use the same databases that adfree does.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
Thanks for the tip. I replace my hostfile with a new one from the source you mentioned (http://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/serverlist.php?showintro=0;hostformat=hosts). Didn't work either. I still think the hosts file is somehow ignored.
[G1 Apps and Games] jbbandos:
Did you try merging both files?

The hosts file shouldn't be ignored in a unix system, unless there are some configuration changes.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
No, but I did try each file individually. It should have blocked ads at least once, I believe.

@sgsI9003: Please post the file, it's called "hosts" and should be located in /data/data/. Thanks!
[G1 Apps and Games] gpz1100:
Here's the hosts file I use.. It's from january, but it blocks 99% of the ads for me, 100% of the time :)
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
Thank you. What's 208.82.100.156?
[G1 Apps and Games] gpz1100:
I think it's BigTinCan's ip address... the idea was to point to a tiny image for any 404 encountered error. I think this has since been disabled on their service, but the ad blocking still works well.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
Thanks. Tried your hosts file but still I get ads. This is really weird.

edit: Nevermind. I think this works. I just added "208.82.100.156 mobfox.com" for this one particular app and now I think I'm good. Thanks again.
[G1 Apps and Games] duckredbeard:
So how do we revert to previous host files? I see a few references, but no details. Is there a walkthrough to get around the latest update?
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
I use a file erplorer and/or a terminal emulator on my phone. You'll also need root access. If you have those you can just download a hosts file and replace the original hosts file located in /data/data/.

I still get ads in the Accu Weather app. Does anyone happen to know the ad-provider url they use?

edit: Got it. It's "amobee.com". But I can't make out the correct hostname to use to block the ads.
[G1 Apps and Games] duckredbeard:
I've got terminal emulator, but have never used it. No idea where to start with that. Where would I get the download?

My last Intruder was a Grumman A-6E.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
Easiest way is probably this:

1. root your phone

2. get super manager (https://market.android.com/details?id=gpc.myweb.hinet.net.TaskManager&feature=search_result)

3. get a hosts file (such as the ones posted here)

4. copy the hosts file to the phone's sdcard

5. use super manager's file explorer to navigate to your sdcard and copy the hosts file (long press on the file -> copy)

BE VERY CAREFULL WHEN AT THIS POINT AND BEYOND:

6. navigate to the root folder ("/") then navigate to /data/data/ (if it asks for root permissions -> yes, if it asks for a remount in r/w -> yes)

7. rename the original hosts file to hosts.save (long press -> rename)

8. paste the copied file (use the clipboard icon on the bottom when you're still in /data/data/)

You might need to reboot to empty the dns cache. I have yet to find a flushdns-command.

That should do it.
[G1 Apps and Games] duckredbeard:
I believe I did a similar process...I am already rooted, of course. Using Root Explorer for file management.

1. Downloaded the hosts file from just a few posts back.

2. Extracted it to a known folder.

3. Renamed the existing hosts file "hostsx"

4. Copied the extracted hosts file to /data/data where I found the other one

5. Moved the "hostsx" file to a safe place.

6. Rebooted and launched adfree.

No improvement. If there is any critical detail from your process, let me know, and I will try it your way. I don't see much difference, but this isn't my forte.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
You shouldn't launch adfree because it will overwrite the hosts file you just added. Since you already know how to add the hosts file manually there's really no need for you to use adfree anymore. At least not since adfree added some weird authentication option and runs in the background and is all secretive about the most recent changelogs. Also the hosts file adfree uses doesn't really block a lot anymore since around June 15 or so.
[G1 Apps and Games] duckredbeard:
So that is it? Uninstall adfree and just go with the manual "hosts" file change and I'm good? Can anyone confirm this? Anyone see this work on an HTC Aria/Liberty/Gratia/Intruder?
[G1 Apps and Games] hiddenhandgun:
I'm updating my hosts with Tasker, the Locale execute plugin, and cURL.

You can get cUrl for android at

http://code.google.com/p/android-nixutils/downloads/list

and copy it into /system/xbin

I made a simple script to download the hosts file, "update-hosts.sh"

and placed it into /sdcard/scripts

#!/system/xbin/bash
/system/xbin/curl -o /data/data/hosts http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt

For whatever reason issuing the curl command directly in the Locale execute plugin borks.

Create a new task in Tasker using the Locale execute plugin as such:

!/system/xbin/bash /sdcard/scripts/update-hosts.sh

The bang at the beginning of the line invokes root

Volia! Your hosts will update whenever you run the task.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
OK, I'm offically out of ideas. I tried all sorts of things now and nothing worked. I got the hosts file from a friend who uses adfree and has no ads anywhere. I put the hosts file in /data/data, fixed the owner and the permissions. Then I symlinked the file to /system/etc. That's how it was before and how it should be and how it should friggin work. But it doesn't. I know I'm repeating myself but this is just strange.

@hiddenhandgun: Thanks for the tip, this is a neat idea. Unfortunately a) I find Tasker way overpriced and b) blocking ads through the hosts file just doesn't seem to do it for me.

This crap is really bothering me. I'm thankful for any idea that you guys might have to fix this. Thanks in advance.
[G1 Apps and Games] hiddenhandgun:
@JimmyLeeBillyBob Tasker has replaced about a dozen other apps for me, so I find it very reasonable, but I understand how not everyone finds it so. If you don't like tasker you could probably do the same thing with sl4a, but idk if root is available. I seem to recall that there is a free app which can use locale plugins, but damned if i can remember which it was. I may have been hallucinating.

In theory, as long as apps use the system resolver libs, the host.conf file should be referenced. Not that I have tried it, but you could make a "host.conf" in your /system/etc that looks like:

order hosts,bind

and ping a host that's included in the hosts file to see if it works. It should force name resolution to the hosts file first.
[G1 Apps and Games] JimmyLeeBillyBob:
Actually I've pinged known ad-hosts before and it was successfully resolved to the localhost address. However, ads are still displayed in apps. I tried your idea of creating a host.conf but it made no difference. Thanks again for the help but I'll just install a more recent nightly of CM7 and hope the problem is gone.
[G1 Apps and Games] XlAfbk:
here's what I use:

#!/system/xbin/bash
/system/xbin/curl -so /data/data/hoststmp http://hosts-file.net/ad_servers.asp
/system/xbin/curl -s http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.txt >> /data/data/hoststmp
echo "127.0.0.1 appadserver.com" >> /data/data/hoststmp
echo "127.0.0.1 caggsm-img.appads.com" >> /data/data/hoststmp
echo "127.0.0.1 rovio.appads.com" >> /data/data/hoststmp
echo "127.0.0.1 an.appads.com" >> /data/data/hoststmp
echo "127.0.0.1 rovio-news-app.angrybirdsgame.com" >> /data/data/hoststmp
echo "127.0.0.1 rovio-news-assets.angrybirdsgame.com" >> /data/data/hoststmp
cat /data/data/hoststmp | cut -d'#' -f 1 | awk NF | awk '{sub(/\r$/,"")};1' | sed 's/ \|\t/ /g' | sort | uniq -u > /data/data/hosts
rm /data/data/hoststmp

requires curl in /system/xbin (busybox wget doesn't resolve hostnames). Assumes you have linked /data/data/hosts to /system/etc/hosts.

Adding more sourced for hosts is as simple as copying the 3rd line and changing the URL.

That long line removes all comments, whitespace, duplicate entries and converts CRLF to LF.
[G1 Apps and Games] bmdixon:
That's ace! :D Thanks.

How would i go about editing it to remove certain lines. eg. if i want any line that contains "gravatar.com" to be removed? Thanks in advance...
[G1 Apps and Games] XlAfbk:
you could add a "| grep -v gravatar.com"
[G1 Apps and Games] SubMatrix:
XIA do you play angry birds? If so, can you confirm that this removes all ads from the game?

edit: nm i was being dumb, i see that the urls you are blocking are specifically rovio ones. i tried adding these urls to my hosts file and it didn't seem to work (just modifying my hosts file, not using curl stuff).

I have noticed that ads from admob just come up as blue ads now, no pictures, which is better....but its still an ad.
[G1 Apps and Games] XlAfbk:
I don't get any ads at all (just the pause screen ones) in AB. Check webcacheview to see where your ads were loaded from.
[G1 Apps and Games] magillos:
How?

...................
[G1 Apps and Games] XlAfbk:
it's in /data/data/../databases/webviewCache.db
[G1 Apps and Games] magillos:
Well, I can't see there anything that wouldn't be blocked in my hosts file. Hosts file seems to to be ignored. Playing angry birds with ads is awful.
[G1 Apps and Games] SubMatrix:
I have the same issue as magillos. I checked my webcacheview.db and I see entries from urls like this:

rovio-news-assets.angrybirdsgame.com

rovio-news-app.angrybirdsgame.com

mmv.admob.com

These are clearly in my hosts file:

127.0.0.1 mmv.admob.com

127.0.0.1 appadserver.com

127.0.0.1 caggsm-img.appads.com

127.0.0.1 rovio.appads.com

127.0.0.1 an.appads.com

127.0.0.1 rovio-news-app.angrybirdsgame.com

127.0.0.1 rovio-news-assets.angrybirdsgame.com

Let me outline my process just to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong. I modify the hosts file by adding lines such as above, and then copy it to /system/etc. I then try angry birds. Sometimes I reboot but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Here are some images of the kinds of ads I see now:
[G1 Apps and Games] XlAfbk:
are you sure these ads aren't cached ones? just delete everything in /data/data/com.rovio.angrybirds but the 2 .lua files in files, similar for rio and seasons, also keep the "lib" folder there
[G1 Apps and Games] SubMatrix:
I tried this and now I'm getting the full ads :(

It seems like my hosts file isn't really doing anything somehow...am I missing something? I checked the webviewcache.db after deleting all the /data/data stuff and the urls are all ones that are in my hosts file.
[G1 Apps and Games] XlAfbk:
are you sure you've got the file linked properly? owner should be set to 0 (root) and permissions 666
[G1 Apps and Games] SubMatrix:
That was it! Thanks so much! My owner was set to "System" and the Owner had no permissions lol. Not sure how that happened.
[G1 Apps and Games] jashsu:
I've started using AdFree instead of manually moving my own hosts over. All in all its a simple app that does exactly what is requested, which is good. That said, would you entertain the idea of opening the source up to the community?
[G1 Apps and Games] sir*mez:
for some reason i have lost my root access. everytime i open the super user or terminal and input su it force closes. i dont know what i did or installed that made me lose my root access.
[G1 Apps and Games] gimiento:
Awesome! And thanks, he says laying aside tinfoil hat.
[G1 Apps and Games] sir*mez:
yes i do have a sdcard installed. my apps are on my sdcard.but since i lost my root access thats my problem.
[G1 Apps and Games] ShatBag1105:
Just tried the app. BRAVO BRAVO! Applause* Awesome job lol :D
[G1 Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
I would have to put in a request at my company, I get a certain amount of paid time to follow up on hobbies, but they get the ability to brand it.
[G1 Apps and Games] jashsu:
I see, so its like Google's 20% scheme. I imagine that being an app that basically just wgets a file from a remote server and copies it into /system/etc it shouldn't be too critical to protect the code. Most of the added value is probably on the bigtincan side (aggregating the blocklists and whatnot)
[G1 Apps and Games] :
thnx man! but i feel so ashamed not to have done this manually earlier.